On a Tuesday afternoon in April 2021, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of the James Crossing Apartments in Lynchburg, Virginia, leaving a family and community to grapple with a sudden and tragic loss. Scottie Humbles, a 47-year-old man, was fatally shot on April 20, 2021. Emergency services responded to the scene and transported Humbles to the hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his gunshot wound.
The Lynchburg Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the
homicide. Their efforts quickly led them to a person of interest, and within approximately 30 minutes of the incident, they had a suspect in custody. The man arrested was identified as 25-year-old Ja'Quan Quintez Miller, also a resident of Lynchburg. Miller was subsequently charged with a litany of serious offenses, including second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, reckless handling of a firearm, and indecent exposure.
The investigation revealed that the encounter between Miller and Humbles was captured on surveillance video, showing them crossing paths just before Humbles fell to the ground. Following the shooting, Miller reportedly fled into a nearby wooded area where he discarded some of his personal belongings in a dumpster before his apprehension by the police.
Initially, Ja'Quan Miller faced a charge of first-degree murder. However, this was later amended to second-degree murder, to which he pleaded guilty. In addition to the amended murder charge, Miller also pleaded guilty to the other related charges. For his role in the death of Scottie Humbles, he was sentenced to 38 years in prison.
